Mountain Views News          Saturday, December 1, 2012

12

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

 Mountain Views News Saturday, December 1, 2012 

SEAN’S SHAMELESS 

REVIEWS: 


JASMINE’S CORNER

Book Reviews by Jasmine Kelsey Williams 

Review By Sean Kayden

NIGHT MOVES

 The Twin Cities’ natives, Night Moves, have a smooth take off on their first 
endeavor, “Colored Emotions,” but their flight has some turbulence along the 
way. Luckily, there’s no crash landing and come out of that rough patch in one 
piece. With the combination of 70s glam rock and pop-country flair of late 80s/
early 90s acts to alternative rock of the early 2000s, Night Moves occupies a lot of style with a decent 
amount of substance to boot. At only ten songs, three of which are less than two minutes long, the 
album demands to be listened in its full entirety. Luckily, it’s a breezy and mostly consistent voyage from 
beginning to end. There are a lot of transitions that are powerful and moving, but the sum of the album 
is greater than its parts. Despite that, there’s a lot of fun to be had on the debut record. Not only does 
Night Moves connect to their generation, but also effortlessly evoke the sounds of previous one too. 

 A bit of country, a bit of soul, and a lot of soft rock, Night Moves feel like they’re from another 
era and I am perfectly content with that. You can’t really pinpoint the exact sound of the band, since 
they have discernable influences that are all over the board. In today’s music Night Moves is a mix 
between glam-psychedelic rockers MGMT and freewheelin’ folk-rock aficionados, My Morning Jacket. 
The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac would fit the bill as the band’s earlier influences. Listening to “Colored 
Emotions” doesn’t require much attention, but if you do attentively take note, you’re actually in for quite 
a refreshing sound for today’s era. If you take it at face value, you may appreciate the sounds of the past 
three decades, but if you rather just listen to a band from those years, you might as well take heed and 
seek another different music outlet. 

 The best track is the opener, “Headlights.” It 
begins like a classic 70s jam and simply hooks you in 
with its build ups and drop offs consistently running 
through the track. Lead singer John Pelant has quite 
the falsetto range. There is something quite charming 
underneath those vocals. He may not use them to the 
fullest extent, but nascent vocals nonetheless. While 
there is so much personality layered under “Colored 
Emotions,” you start to wonder if it’s entirely original 
or just mimicking those of others it admires. Nevertheless, with a solid combination of sensitive pop 
melodies, solid songwriting, and seasoned sound, Night Moves could be your guiding light to the past. 
What I mean is that they may make you seek out the sounds of earlier days. 

 The album is full of mercurial hooks, warm undertones, and soulful vocals. The more you listen, the 
more you connect. It’s the kind of record you wish there was just a little more to put it over the edge. 
With only 7 normal duration tracks, the album is short-lived. However, with wonderful arrangements 
and effervescent choruses, the record has great depth despite the relatively limited length. Night Moves’ 
“Colored Emotions” is as compelling and tender as it is green and undercooked at times. Without a doubt 
it is a considerably solid first outing. Big ideas and mighty musical explorations leave the Minneapolis 
three-piece to be a gifted band seeking to ascend from the shadows and enter newfound light. 


Grade 7.5 out of 10

Key Tracks: “Headlights”, “Country Queen”, “Only A Child”, “Family Tongues”

MADCAP MAY: MISTRESS OF MYTH, MEN, & HOPE

By Richard Kurin

 As the Christmas holidays approach, this next 
choice shall definitely be worth the read and time 
as it is a departure from the previous books selected. 
Although this selection is not exactly holiday-
themed, it is still an enchanting read and with it being 
an excellent work of non-fiction, should be able 
to keep the reader’s attention. ‘Madcap May’ is the 
biography of May Yohe, claimed as the drama queen 
of her time. Richard Kurin takes great care and details 
a classic “rags-to-riches” story of May Yohe, 
who lived a roller-coaster lifestyle which spanned 
the time periods of the Gay Nineties, the Roaring 
Twenties, and through the Great Depression. May’s 
story is wonderfully crafted, with a total of sixteen 
chapters mapping out her humble beginnings in 
Bethlehem, her marriages, through her acting career 
to how she spent her final days. Kurin does not 
cut corners or sidestep at all when it comes to the 
detail and explanation of May Yohe, and goes above 
and beyond when explaining not just her backstory, 
but the backstories of all who were involved with 
May’s life as well. There are passages, excerpts and 
quotes that come from May, her family, friends and husbands, as well as theater critics of her 
time, that not only provide actual proof and insight, but also provide the reader an opportunity 
to be drawn into May’s world. This is where the reader may find the enchantment factor: 
with such careful details and complete accuracy, readers will feel that they have taken a step 
back in time and are experiencing May’s life as an observer, feeling what she felt though her 
words alone. Copyrighted in 2012 and receiving praise from Publishers Weekly and Library 
Journal, ‘Madcap May’ is a very lively new read, one that fleshes out an exciting tale of a 
famous theater legend and icon of her time, proving that one can carve out their own adventures 
in life and enjoying the zest that comes with it. 


Artist: Night Moves

Album: Colored Emotions

Label: Domino Records

Release Date: October 16, 2012


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HEALTH & FITNESS

THE JOY OF YOGA

HOW TO CALM DOWN

ene
Do you have trouble meditating? It can really be a challenge to stop all the 
chatter in the head and be quiet. Try this simple breath practice first. It is 
called Bhramari. It is like the sound of the buzzing bee and they say it is 
good for insomnia (at a low pitch), the thyroid (medium pitch) and sinus 
infections (med to high pitch). It activates the parasympathetic nervous 
system and is great for stress. It also helps stop the mental looping that we do. So it’s great for people 
that have trouble meditating. Bhramari helps us turn the senses inward to the inner sounds. This 
stills, calms, and sensitizes our 3rd eye. Because we are lengthening the exhale, it is great for calming 
anxiety and alleviating depression.

You can sit in a chair or on the floor on a cushion. Sit up tall with a straight spine. Take a couple 
relaxing breaths to get in the mood. Then inhale and as you exhale make a soft buzzing sound, like 
a honey bee. Try it for several rounds.

You can enhance the effects by using a hand gesture (mudra). Place the thumbs on the cartilage by 
the ear to close the ears and lightly place the finger tips on the forehead and nose. The pinky fingers 
just outside the nostrils, the ring fingers on the upper sides of the nose by the eyes, the middle fingers 
at the inside edges of the brow and the pointer finger on the forehead. Do six rounds and then do 
six silent rounds. See if you can still hear the buzzing. Now try your meditation and just watch the 
regular breath in and out.

Have a great stress free holiday season. If you hear someone buzzing – you’ll know why.

Namasté, René